No, Tulowitzki wasn't back in Sunnyvale visiting old friends during Fremont's spring break. He was back as the Big West Conference's Hitter of the Week, just a few weeks after returning from a hand injury.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder, who missed six weeks and 20 games, was honored April 19 for compiling a batting average of .571 during the previous week.

Tulowitzki, Team USA's starting shortstop last summer and a projected first-round draft pick in the upcoming Major League Baseball Draft in June, was the Dirtbags' team RBI leader with 44 in each of his first two seasons. This season, after getting 10 hits in his first 19 at-bats, he fouled a pitch off his left hand, injuring the hamate bone.

Tulowitzki, a kinesiology major, returned to action on March 24 and right away helped Long Beach topple Fullerton State, which was ranked No. 1 in the nation at the time. Since then, the Sunnyvale National Little League product helped his team win 13 of 16 games. After Tulowitzki's two-run homer paced an 11-2 win over UOP in Stockton on April 23, Long Beach State's record was 28-14, including 9-2 in the Big West and the Dirtbags were ranked ninth in the nation by Collegiate baseball and No. 10 by Baseball America.

Tulowitzki did not miss a game as a sophomore in 2004, starting all 61 games. The sure-handed, strong-armed shortstop helped his team eliminate Stanford from post-season play with three home runs in a two-day stand against the Cardinal. He was named Most Outstanding Player in the Palo Alto Regional and then homered in the Super Regional against Arizona.

Novachkov a freestyle winner

Boris Novachkov, a Fremont sophomore who placed second in the Central Coast Section wrestling championships, won the 95-pound title at the California Junior Freestyle State Championship meet, April 15-16 at Lemoore High near Fresno.

Filip Novachkov, a junior, placed second in the 125-pound weight class. He lost to Paul Ruiz of Firebaugh in the championship match.

Knights win in softball

Pitcher Emily Henderson, supported by an errorless defense, and junior Lisa Walker made sure The King's Academy softball team's unbeaten PSAL record remained intact last week.

Henderson allowed just three hits and Walker banged out three extra-base hits as the Knights improved their first-place record to 3-0 with a 5-2 triumph over Valley Christian of Dublin on April 22.

Walker led the Knights' seven-hit offense by ripping a triple and two doubles. A three-run rally in the bottom of the third inning put King's ahead 4-0, a margin that was too much for the visitors to overcome.

Butelos star on track

Kristen and Jessica Butelo both captured two running events, leading The King's Academy girls track and field team to victory in a 10-school PSAL meet April 21 at Sequoia High in Redwood City.

K. Butelo handled the distance events successfully, winning the 1,600 in 5:48 and the 3,200 in 12:52. J. Butelo claimed wins in the 100-meter dash (13.0) and the 800 (2:33). Teammate Kim Chiang won the triple jump with a leap of 30-7. The Butelos also ran legs for the Knights' victorious 1600 relay team.

The Knights rolled up 167 points, 42 more than runner-up Redwood Christian of Castro Valley and well ahead of third-place Woodside Priory (55).

TKA's boys team placed third, behind Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton and Redwood Christian. Andrew Gabany was the lone winner for the Knights, leaping 5-10 to take the high jump competition.

Firebirds at Top 8

Fremont throwers Ruben Chagoya and Kelly Bushnell competed in the CCS Top 8 Track and Field Classic April 22 at Los Gatos High. Chagoya was eighth in the boys discus with a best effort of 133 feet. Meanwhile, Bushnell was fifth in the girls discus, flipping the platter 111-1. She also placed eighth in the shot put with a heave of 33-5.

Meyer makes splash

Fremont's swimming teams did not win at Los Gatos on April 15, but Firebirds Larry Wen and Aly Meyer continued their winning ways.

Although the unbeaten Los Gatos girls team rolled to its sixth straight El Camino dual meet victory, Meyer took part in all three of Fremont's event wins. She followed winning efforts in the 200-yard freestyle (2:02.34) and 200 individual medley (2:16.74) by swimming the anchor leg of the 200 free relay. Meyer followed teammates Lindsay, Cascone and Lofland as the triumphant Fremont unit posted a winning time of 1:51.79.

In the boys division, Wen scored Fremont's only first places. The talented sophomore earned wins in the 200 IM (2:05.06) and the 100 breaststroke (1:03.02).

Tompane sparks Knights

Kyle Tompane's seven kills helped The King's Academy boys volleyball team sweep a match against visiting Eastside Prep last week. Tompane helped the Knights win three straight games 25-7, 25-11, 25-21 and improve their PSAL record to 4-1.